PESHAWAR: The prime accused in high profile Kohistan embezzlement case, Qaiser Iqbal, has moved Peshawar High Court to challenge confiscation of his several properties in favour of government by an accountability court.

The accused, a former head clerk in communication and works department, filed a petition in the high court, requesting it to set aside the May 20, 2026, order of the accountability court wherein it was ordered that multiple movable and immovable properties including cash and jewellery allegedly belonging to him stood surrendered and forfeited/confiscated.

The petitioner sought declaration of the court that his statement recorded by the accountability court on May 20 was without lawful authority and illegal. He requested to declare as illegal the proceedings conducted by the accountability court on May 20, wherein he was summoned from prison for recording his statement.

He also sought interim relief, requesting the high court to suspend operation over the impugned order of the accountability court and also restrain the respondents including National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and relevant government functionaries from alienating, transferring, disposing of or creating any third-party rights in respect of the properties declared forfeited, till final disposal of the petition.

Order of accountability court violates principle of fair trial, claims petitioner

Qaiser Iqbal, and his wife Gul Fareen were arrested by NAB in Oct 2025, in the case involving alleged embezzlement of more than Rs37 billion in the Upper Kohistan district accounts office.

They had remained in custody of the bureau for 14 days after which they were sent to prison on judicial remand by an accountability court. Subsequently, Gul Fareen was set free on bail by the high court in Feb this year on condition of furnishing two surety bonds of Rs5 million each.

On May 19, an application was moved before the accountability court by NAB for passing an appropriate order on the basis of an application submitted by Mr Iqbal for surrendering and forfeiting his assets as proceeds of crime.

On May 20, the accountability court issued the impugned order, stating that the accused was summoned from prison and his statement was recorded. It added that the accused was willing to surrender the said properties.

The present petition, filed through advocates Naveed Ahmad Khan and Sayed Abid Shah, includes as respondents the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government through its chief secretary, provincial home secretary, NAB chairman, its KP director general, NAB’s combined investigation team (CIT) and others.

It is pertinent to mention that NAB has alleged that Qaiser Iqbal along with other accused persons was involved in the illegal withdrawal and misappropriation of over Rs37 billion from the contractors security deposit head of an account, G-10113.

The bureau claimed that it had started an inquiry and during probe it revealed that officials of communication and works department in Upper Kohistan, in connivance with officials of district accounts office, and NBP branch there, had misappropriated funds from different projects through bogus withdrawal of funds from the national treasury in the name of several contractors, who had not executed any civil work.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2026